Piano Interrupted ~ The Unified Field

Piano Interrupted‘s debut album Two By Four was informed by modern jazz, but the duo’s follow-up is a more classical venture.  The pair’s marriage of piano and electronics remains intact, while the confidence of the artists is increased.  The Unified Field flows better as a result; the elements are well-integrated, and the overall mood is one of tender experimentation.

The opening notes drive this point home.  A series of stuttered, electronic piano notes, welded to glitch, are quickly offset by straightforward ivory tones, forming pre-echoes.  The entering strings provide the aural glue, but they too are offset by a droning swirl.  “Emoticon” sets the tempo for the entire album by avoiding the trap of prettiness.  Smooth edges cause music to wash over the ears; rough edges draw attention.  Dissonant hints are used to great effect: a rushed eighth note in “Two or Three Things”, seemingly dropped notes in “Lost Coda”.  The intentional “wrong” notes allow the listener to concentrate on the “right” ones.

While Tom Hodge’s piano provides many memorable moments, Franz Kirmann’s electronics are just as important to the album’s success.  This is, after all, a unified field.  The clocklike timbres of “Cross Hands” (2:24 on) bring Kirmann into the spotlight.  For the first time, one can imagine a dance remix as a possibility.  Kirmann’s techno background is apparent on “An Accidental Fugue” as well, as a fat synthetic bass provides an unexpected thrill.  The positioning is key, as this element is only found in the center of the track, which also contains a memorable 12-note piano motif and is bracketed by strings.  In imitation of what has come before, this bass is joined by an organic bass, forming an elegant contrast.

In November, the duo will hit the road for a brief tour, stopping in Italy, Germany and Belgium.  One expects a mixture of fans, representing at least three different genres.  From the sound of this album, none will be disappointed; some may even leave with broadened tastes.  (Richard Allen)

Available here